al-Munbiji
- Died
- 785 AH
- Born in
- -
Shams al-Din Muhammad ibn Muhammad al-Munbiji (d. 785 AH / 1383 CE) was a Syrian Hanbali jurist and traditionist based in Damascus, best known for his treatise on bereavement, Tasliyat Ahl al-Masaib (Consolation for the Afflicted).
Life and career
His full lineage is recorded as Shams al-Din Abu Abd Allah Muhammad ibn Muhammad ibn Muhammad ibn Mahmud al-Salihi al-Munbiji. Originally from Manbij in northern Syria, he later relocated to Damascus, taking up residence in the al-Salihiyya quarter.
Al-Munbiji studied hadith, memorized the standard Hanbali legal manual al-Muqni, and subsequently taught and issued legal rulings (fatwas). For his livelihood, he chose to earn his sustenance through his own shop, emulating the self-reliance of the early righteous forebears (al-salaf), and was known for scrupulous piety, frugality, and continuous devotion.
Standing and scholarship
Ibn Hajar al-Asqalani described al-Munbiji as one of the prominent and virtuous figures among the Hanbalis. Following the outbreak of the epidemic in 764 AH, he compiled a dedicated treatise addressing the circumstances and legal rulings concerning the plague; Ibn Qadi Shuhba noted that this compilation demonstrated his broad memorization and virtue and contained extensive benefits.
Around 777 AH, in the wake of widespread plague deaths, al-Munbiji authored Tasliyat Ahl al-Masaib to offer spiritual comfort and theological reflection on patience for the grieving, especially those mourning deceased children and relatives, drawing substantially on earlier Hanbali scholarship such as Ibn Qayyim al-Jawziyya's Kitab al-Ruh.
Death
Al-Munbiji died in the month of Ramadan in 785 AH (1383 CE). Other biographical entries record variant dates for his death, including 774 AH and approximately 770 AH.
Answer updated
List of Works
Tasliyat Ahl al-Masaib (Consolation for the Afflicted) is an Islamic treatise on bereavement, patience, and coping with tribulations. Composed around 777 AH (1375–76 CE) following severe plague outbreaks, it offers practical and spiritual solace to the grieving, particularly those mourning the loss of children and close relatives.